Propelling mechanism for vehicles



' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. A. LIBBEY. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

IIVVEIV TOR: -Wy BY WITNESSES:

6. E%a/t ATTORNEYS m: NDRRIS pgrzns co, vMoro-uTHa, WASHINGTON. a. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1/1. A. LIBBEY. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Patented M21123, 1891.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS THE Nomus pzrsns 00., mcmvumm, wnsumnwu, n. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

M. A. LIBBEY. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES. No. 447,616.

Patented Mar. 3,1891.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS THE uonms vz'rzns cal, Puma-Imam, wnsumwruu, n, c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

M. A. LIBBEY. PROPELLING MEGHANISM FOR VEHIGLE'S. No. 447,616.

Patented Mar. 3,1891.

i u, v

M w Q WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS n4: Moms vzrzns 120., PNOTO LITMOH vusummuu, n. c.

mes.

MARK A. LIBBEY, OF SOUTH BERlVIOK, MAINE.

PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,616, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed November 17, 1890. Serial No. 371,640. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARK A. LIBBEY, of'

South Berwick, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Propelling Mechanism for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanism for vehicles; and the object of my invention is to produce attachments for vehicles which will adapt themselves to the varying movements of the vehicle and which will afford a convenient means for driving the vehicle with any suitable motor.

To these ends myinvention consistsin certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a broken plan view of a vehicle provided with mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of the steering-rod and the adjustable shaft by means of which it is connected with the steering-gear. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional View of the steering mechanism. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the main driving-shaft and its connection, showing also the manner in which a portion of the propelling mechanism is suspended from the forward axle. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a broken sectional view of the adjustable transverse shafts, the gearing for driving them, and the connection between the shafts and the vehicle-wheels. Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan showing the arrangement of the gears for driving the transverse shafts. Fig. 9 is a cross-section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5. Fig.10 is a sectional plan of the adjustable steering-shaft on the line 10 10 of Fig. 4. Fig. 11 is a cross-section on 1 the line 11 11 of Fig. a, showing the means the same entirely covered and adapted to turn the rear axle of the vehicle. Fig. 13 is a broken plan view of the same, showing more particularly the steering apparatus. Fig. 1 L is a broken sectional view showing means of attaching the propelling mechanism to avehicle where there is ample space between the two axles and between the running-gear and the body of the vehicle, and Fig. 15 is a broken plan of the steering apparatus as shown in Fig. 14.

In the main figures the propelling mechanism is shown attached to that class of vehicles in which the amount of space between the running-gear and the body is somewhat limited.

10 is the body of the wagon or vehicle, which may be of any of the ordinary types, and which is suspended on springs 11 at each end, and the springs are mounted on the front and rear axles 12 in the ordinary way. The front and rear axles are connected by the hollow reach-rods 13, the front ends of which are parallel and the rear ends of which are curved outwardly, so as to pass beneath the rear axle near the wheels, and the rear ends of the rods are clamped to the axles by means of the clamps 14, the front portions of the rods being connected beneath the front axle by a clip 15, through which extends vertically the bolt 16 of the U-shaped frame 16, said frame being made to extend above the forward axle at each side and having-its upper end formed into inwardly-extendin g dust-guards 1 6 The upper ends of the arms of the frame 16 are pivot-ally connected by the bolts 17 with the smaller U-shaped frame 18, which rests againsts the bottom of the axle and which is fastened thereto by means of the clip 19, said clip being strapped to the axle and having its upper end terminating in a king-bolt 19, Which connects with the spring-support of the vehicle in the usual manner. It will thus be seen that the forward wheels may be turned to steer the vehicle, and that the connection between the reach-rods and the axle permits the reachrods and the mechanism therewith connected to swing laterally without straining the axle. The reach-rods 13 are also connected near their front ends and a little in front of the wagon-body by aframe 20, which has a depending arm 20 to carry the connecting rod which drives the rear wheels, as hereinafter described, and the frame has also an annular groove in its upper surface to receive the balls 22, which are inserted between the collar 21 on the shaft 21 and theframe, thus insuring an easy working bearing for the shaft. The shaft 21 extends vertically through the frame 20, and the collar 21, which is fixed to the shaft, has grooves to receive the balls 22, and has also a depending annular flange 21 which serves to prevent dust from getting into the hearing. The shaft 21 extends upward in front of the wagon-bod y, and

its upper portion is provided with vertical grooves 21, which receive balls which permit the tube 23 to slide vertically on the shaft, but which cause the shaft and tube to rotate together in the manner described below. The tube 23 which fits over the shaft 21, has its lower end 23 made bell-shaped and is provided with a lateral annular flange 23 on its lower end. Thetube 23 'tits closelyon the shaft 21, and through it extend bolts 24, which have V-shaped inner ends to embrace balls adapted to move in the grooves of the shaft in the same manner that the connecting-shafts beneath the vehicle are united, which will be hereinafter described, and the construction of which is clearly shown in Fig. 9.

A stiff spiral spring 25 is fixed to the flange 23 of the tube 23" at its lower end, and the upper end of the spring terminates in a solid collar 25, which is firmly connected to the vertical shaft 26, said shaft having a suitable bearing 26 in the bracket 27, which projects forward from the front end of the wagonbody. The power by which the vehicle is propelled is applied to the shaft 26, and the spring is not intended toyield vertically, but is adapted to spring laterally, so as to allow for the swaying of the vehicle, the spring being turned like an ordinary shaft, and it will be seen that when weight is placed in the wagon-bottom, causing it to settle on its sprin gs, the spring 25 and the tube with which it is connected will be forced downward on the shaft 21; but owing to the peculiar conneotion between the parts the spring and shaft will both revolve together. The lower end of the shaft 21 is provided with a horizontal gear-wheel 28, which meshes with a gear-wheel 30 on the end of the shaft 29. The shaft 29 is mounted at its forward end in the arm 20 of the frame 26, and the shaft extends rearwardly beneath the wagon-body, the rear portion of the shaft being enlarged and made hollow, as shown at 29.

A shaft 31 is connected with the gear for driving the rear wheels in the manner described presently, and the shaft extends forward into the enlarged portion 29 of the shaft 29, the shaft 31 having half-round longitudinal grooves therein, in which fit the balls 32, and at intervals upon the enlarged portion of the shaft 29 are sleeves 34, through which extend the bolts 33, the bolts also extending through the enlarged portion 29 of the shaft 29, and the bolts have their inner ends provided with V-shapcd slots, as best shown in Fig. 9, adapted to engage the balls and hold them in place. It will thus be seen that the shaft 31 may easily slide lengthwise, so as to adjust the connecting-shafts to vehicles of different lengths; but the shaft 31 will be turned with the shaft 29. The rear end of the shaft 31 has a gear-wheel 35 fixed thereto, and the shaft is supported in the forwardly-extending arms 36 of the casing or frame 36. The casing 36 is rectangular in shape, and is located centrally beneath the wagon-body a little in front of the rear axle, the casing having the forwardly-extending arms 36, which afford a support for the shaft 31, and having also the laterally-extending concave arms 36", which rest upon the hollow shafts 37, and which are clamped thereto by means of the depending clamping-pieces 36, which are attached to said arms, so as to embrace the inner ends of the shaft 37. .The shafts 37 extend transversely from the arms 36 to a point adjacent to the rear wheels of the vehicle, the shafts being supported by clamps 3S, connect ng with the reach-rods 13, and the manner in which the shafts are attached to the arms affords easy means of adjusting the shafts to the width of the vehicle.

Extending longitudinally through the hollow shafts 37 are shafts 39, the outer ends of which project from the outer ends of the shafts 37 and are provided with pinions 40, and the inner ends of which are enlarged, as shown at 39, and are made with squared'or manysided openings, the openings being hexagonal, as shown in the accompanying drawings, (see Fig. 6,) and extending from. the casing or frame 36 into the hollow ends of the shafts 39 are the shafts 41 and 41, respectively, which fit the hollows of the shafts, so that they may slide in the hollow shafts, but will turn therewith. The shafts 41 and 41 extend into the central opening of the casing or frame 36, and the shaft 41 is provided with a gear-wheel 42, which meshes with the gear-wheel 35 on the rear end of the central driving connecting-shaft 31, and the shaft 41 is also provided at its extreme inner end with a gear-wheel 43, which connects by means of the balance gear-wheel 44 with the geanwheel 45 on the inner end of the shaft 41, and it will be observed that the gearwheels 43 and 45 are of the same size, so that the shafts 41, 41, and 39 will all turn with the same speed. The balance gear-wheels 44 are supported 011 a casting 44, which is mounted on the inner ends of the shafts 41 and 41.

Olamped to each of the rear wheels 12 of the vehicle are the annular flanges 46, which project inward'from the wheels and which have flattened ri'rns 46, which bear against the spokes of the wheels, and rounded edges 46 to enable the clampi11g-hooks47 to have a secure hold on the flanges, and the outer ends of the books 47 are secured to suitable clamping-pieces 4 The flanges 46 have a rib 46 ICG IIO

extending around their inner surfaces, and are also provided with a series of recesses or in wardly-extendingindentations 46. A circular gear 49 is adapted to fit closely within the flanges and is pushed into them until it abuts with the rib 46, and the outer surface of the gear is cut away, as shown at 49 to receive the indentations 46 of the flanges, and at said point the gears and flanges are bolted together, the indentations and cut-away portion of the gears serving to relieve the attaching-bolts of excessive strain. The gears 49 are adapted to mesh with the pinions 40 on the transverse shafts, so that when the pinions are turned the gears will be also turned, thus turning the flanges and rear wheels and driving the vehicle. The outer sides of the flanges 46 are each covered by a dust-band 50, which is clamped to the spokes with the flange, and the inner sides of the flanges are each protected by a dust-band 51, which nearly fills the side of the flange and which is turned inward around its outer edge, as'shown at 51, the dust-band 51 having a centrallip 51 which extends inward and is secured to the rear axle by means of one of the clamping-pieces 14, which support the rear ends of the reach-rods 13. This construction or method of supporting the inner dust-bands is shown in Fig. 2; but the manner of supporting the bands is not material, and they may be secured to the axle in any convenient manner.

A tube 52, which is somewhat cone-shaped, is secured to the under side of the wagon-bod y 10, near the forward end,the lower end of the tube terminating in a bracket 52, and a simi lar tube 53 is attached to the floor of the wagon-bod y on the upper side, so as to align with the tube 52, and extending vertically through the two tubes is a hollow shaft 54, which carries a wheel 55 at the top, by means of which the shaft maybe turned. The tube 54 also extends downward through thebracket 52, and the lower portion of the tube or that portion which extends through the bracketis surrounded byasleeve 56,the sleeve having a vertical keyway therein, in which fits a projecting key 54 on the shaft 54, so that the shaft 54 may slide through the sleeve, but the two will turn together. The sleeve has also a series of diametrically-opposite slots 56, and. the sleeve extends vertically through the hub 57 of the gear-wheel 57, the sleeve having a key 56, which slides in a keyway of the gear-wheel hub, so that the sleeve may be moved vertically through the gear-wheel, but the two will turn together. The gearwheel hub has flanges at top and bottom, and it is mounted to turn in an arm of the bracket 52. The connection between the hollow shaft, the sleeve, and the gear-wheel is best shown in Fig. 10.

Extending upward from the bottom of the shaft 54 and on opposite sides thereof are springs 58, which terminate at their upper ends in shoulders 58, which project through slots in the hollow shaft 54 and into the slots 56 of the sleeve 56, the said shoulders having abrupt horizontal surfaces on their lower edges and having their top portions inwardly inclined, as best shown in Fig. 4. The springs are bent around the lower end of the hollow shaft and are held in place by a plug 59, which enters the lowerend of the shaft be tween the springs, and the plug is held in place by a thimble 60, which screws onto the lower end of the hollow shaft. A rod 61 extends downward into the hollow shaft 54, the rod being kept normally in an elevated position by means of a spring inserted between the top of the wheel 55 and the button 62 at the top of the rod, and the lower end of the rod terminates in a head 63, which has a V- shaped slot in its lower side, the inclines of the slot corresponding with the inclined surfaces of the shoulders 58, so that when the rod is pressed downward the shoulders will be brought inwardv out of engagement with the slots in the hollow shaft and in the sleeve 56 so that the shaft and the wheel upon the shaft may be adjusted vertically, and it will be seen that by means of the above connection the wheel may be brought to any desired height.

The gear-wheel 57 meshes with a gear-wheel 64, which is fixed to the rear end of the shaft 65, and the shaft connects with a horizontal shaft for operating the steering mechanism,

the front end of the horizontal shaft being mounted in a depending arm 66 of the frame 66, said frame being clamped to the front end of the reach-rods 13. The shaft is provided with a universal joint 68, and the forward portion of the shaft is provided with longitudinal grooves 65 and enters the enlarged hollow portion 67 of the shaft 67, and the hollow portion 67 of the shaft 67 is pro- Vided with sleeves 69 and bolts 70, which connect the two shafts in the same manner that the shafts 29 and 31 are connected and the construction of which has been already described. 1 v

The shaft 67 is connected by another. universal joint 68 with a shaft 71, which extends through the depending arm 66 of the frame 66, and is provided at its forward end with a gear-wheel 72, which meshes with a gearwheel 73, attached to the lowerend of the ver tical shaft 74, which extends through the frame 66 and the upper end of which is supported in a bent arm 66", which projects from the upper side of the frame, and attached to the upper portion of the shaft 74 is a sprocketwheel 75, over which passes a chain 76, and the ends of the chain are connected with clips 77 near the opposite ends of the forward axle, the chain 76 having a suitable turn-buckle 78, by means of which it may be given the requisite tension. 1

In the front ends-of the reach-rods 13 are inner ends, and between the collars and the caps 81 at the ends of the reach-rods are springs 80, which press against the caps 81, and the rods 79 extend through the caps 81 and are connectedto a cross-strip 82. A pu ley 8a is mounted in front of the reach-rods on an arm which extends forward from the frame 66, and a strap 83 is connected with the cross-strip 82 and passes over the pulley Set to connect with a strap 85, the rear end of which is fastened to the thickened portion 7 4 of the shaft 74. The strap extends through a slot in the shaft and is fastened to the shaft at the rear by means of a vertical pin 7 t", and the front portions of the shaft are rounded, as shown at 71 so that when the shaft is turned the strap will be wound thereon, but owing to the enlargement and rounding of the shaft the strap will not be unduly strained. The pressure of the springs on the cross-strip S2, with which they are indirectly connected, as described, causes a constant tension to be maintained on the straps 83 and 85, and this tension will prevent the shaft 74 from turning under any ordinary strain, so that the forward wheels will be constantly kept in alignment with the rear wheels and the vehicle will naturally run in a straight line; but when the vehicle is to be steered to the right or left the wheel 55 is turned, thus turning the hollow shaft of, sleeve 56, and gear-wheel 57, and by means of the connecting-shafts turning also the vertical shaft 74, and this will overcome the resistance of the springs and by means of the sprocket-wheel 75 and chain 70 will turn the forward wheels and axle to one side, thus steering the vehicle.

In Figs. 1:2 to 14 I have shown modified forms of the propelling mechanism, that form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 being connected in such a manner that the rear axle will be turned, and the wheels in this case are connected with the axle and will be also turned, and means are also provided for protecting the working parts of the device.

In these modified views the axles 12 are shown as hollow, and centrally pivoted to the forward axle by means of the pins 87 is a case 80. on the top of which is a hollow reachrod 88, connecting with a hollow case 89 on the rear axle, and the rear axle is provided with a gear 90, which meshes with a gear wheel 91 on the shaft 92, which extends longitudinally through the reach-rod S8, and the front end of which is provided with a gear-- wheel 93, which meshes with the gean-wheel 28 on the main vertical driving-shaft. A bridge 91 is mounted above the forward axle on the reach-rod, the bridge having suitable bearings 91, so that it may swivel or swing on the rod, and the bridge affords a bearing for the front end of the shaft 92, and is also connected with a rectangular frame 95, from opposite ends of which extend forward the hollow shafts 96, which carry spring-pressed rods connecting with the cross-strip 82 in the manner already described. A frame 97 is mounted on the ends of these shafts 9(5, and in a forwardly-extending arm 97 of the frame is pivoted a pulley 98, over which runs a strap 83, conncting with, the strap 85, as already described, the strap 83 connecting with the cross-strip 82 and the strap with a thickened end of the shaft 99, which extends vertically through the frame 97, the connection being made in the same manner as the strap 85 is connected with the shaft 74; but the sprocket-wheel which actuates the chain 76, instead of being fixed on the upper end of the shaft, is fixed on the lower portion of the shaft99, and a gear-wheel 100 is fixed to the lower end and connects by means of a gear-wheel 101 and shaft 102 with the vertical steering-shaft in the manner already described.

In Figs. 11 and 15 I have shown another modi fication, showing the manner in which the propelling mechanism may be connected with a vehicle when there is plenty of room between the running-gear and the body of the vehicle, and in this latter case the main horizontal driving-shaft 103 is connected by suitable shafts and universal joints 101 at each end with the rear gear mechanism, which turns the rear axle, the forward end of the shaft being supported in abearing 105, which is suspended from the floor of the vehicle, and the shaft having a sprocket-wheel at the end, which is turned by a chain 106, extending upward through the floor of the wagon-body to a suitable motor above. In the latter form a single reach-rod 108 extends from the rear axle through a casing 109, which is pivoted on the forward axle, and a frame 110 is pivoted upon the reach-rod, so as to extend over the casing 109, the front end of the reachrod having a suitable cap 11l,through which extends a springn-essed rod 79, like that already described, the end of the rod beingconnected with a strap 112, which extends forward betwe n the guide-rollers 113, which are pivoted on a support 114, and the front end of the strap is attached to the rearwardly-extending shank of the segmental rack 110, over which passes the steering'ehain 7 6. The rack is turned by a shaft 117, which has a gear 118 at its lower end and connects by means of a gear 119 with the horizontal steering-shafts in the manner already described, the shaft 117 and the support 111 being mounted on a tapering rod 121, which extends forward from the lower portion of the frame 110. It will be seen that when the segmental rack 116 is turned it will turn the forward axle and steer the vehicle, and the backward pressure of the spring on the shank of the rack will serve to keep the shank in alignment with the reach-rod 108, so that the vehicle will normally run straight ahead.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: When the shaft 26 is turned, it will turn the spiral shaft 25 and the shaft 21, and the motion will be transmitted through the shaft 29 and connecting-gears and shaft 31 to the gcaravheels 35, 4-2, 423, and 45 and to the shafts 41 and -11, thus turning the transverse shafts IOC 39, the pinions 40, the flanges to, and the rear wheels of the vehicle, and to steer the vehicle the wheel 55 is turned to the right or left and the motion will be transmitted to the forward axle by means of the mechanism described, so that the vehicle may be easily steered.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure bv Letters Patent U 1. A propellingmechanism for vehicles, comprising a revoluble spiral shaft mounted vertically on a vehicle, a vertical shaft slidably connected with the spiral shaft, but adapted to turn therewith, an adjustable connectingshaft geared to the vertical shaft and extend- 1ng to the rear portion of the vehicle, adj ustable transverse shafts geared to the connecting-shaft and having their outer ends provided with piuions, flanges attached to the rear wheels of the vehicle and projecting inwardly therefrom, and gears fixed to the flanges so as to mesh with the pinions, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the vehicle hav- 1ng its front and rear axles adjustably connected, of a vertical revoluble spiral shaft mounted on the front end of the vehicle, a vertical shaft slidably connected with the spiral shaft, a connecting-shaft geared to the vertical shaft and extending to the rear portion of the vehicle, adjustable transverse shafts geared to the connecting-shaft and extending to a point adjacent to the rear wheels, said shafts having pinions upon their outer ends, and flanges fastened to the rear wheels and provided with gears to engage the pinlons, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the flanges secured to the rear wheels, as shown, of a dustband covering the outer sides of the flanges and clamped to the wheels, and a dust-baud secured to the rear axles so as to cover the inner sides of the flanges, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a propelling mechanism for vehicles, the combination, with the vehicle and with the connecting-shaft extending horizontally beneath the vehicle-body and geared to driving mechanism on the rear wheels of the vehicle, of a revoluble spiral shaft mounted vertically on the front end of the vehicle, a vertical shaft slidably connected with the spiral shaft and geared at its lower end to the connecting-shaft, and a ball-bearing for the vertical shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a propelling mechanism for vehicles, the combinatiomwith the horizontal connecting-shaft having its rear end connected by a gear mechanism with the rear wheels of the vehicle, of a spiral revoluble shaft mounted on the front portion of the vehicle, a central tube fastened to the spiral shaft, and a vertical shaft having its upper end adapted to slide in the tube and turn therewith and having its lower end geared to the connecting-shaft, substantially as shown and "described.

6. In a propelling mechanism for vehicles, the combination, with a l1orizontal connect in g-shaft suspended beneath the vehicle-body and connected bya gear mechanism with rear wheels, of the spiral revoluble shaft mounted on the front portionof the vehicle, a central tube having a flanged lower end fixed to the shaft, a vertical shaft adapted to slide 1n the tube and turn therewith, said shaft having its lower end geared to the connectingshaft, and a ball-bearing for the vertical shaft, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a vehicle-propelling mechanism, the combination, with the reach-rods clamped to the rear axle, as shown. and the forward axle, of a clip or frame connecting the forward ends of the reach-rods, a U-shaped frame pivoted in the clip so as to extend over and embrace I the axle, and a similar frame having the upper ends of its arms pivoted to the U-shaped frame and having its lower portion clamped to the axle, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, with the forward axle and the reach-rods having their rear ends connected with the rear axle, of a clip connecting the reach-rods, a U-shaped frame pivoted in the clip and with its arms embracing the forward axle, a similar frame having its arms pivoted to the upper ends of the arms of the U-shaped frame, and a clip forfastening the smaller frame to the axle, said clip having at its upper end a king-bolt, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination, with a horizontal connecting-shaft having suitable driving mechanism and having its rear end provided with a gear, of the casing adapted to support the rear end of the shaft, the adjustable transverse shafts having theirinner ends mounted in the casing and geared to the connectingshaft and their outer ends provided with pinions, and flanges secured to the vehicle-wheels and provided with gears to mesh with the pinions, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with the connectingshaft having suitable driving mechanism, as shown, of the casing adapted to support the rear end of the connectingshaft and having laterally-extending concaved arms, the hollow shaft adjustably secured to the concaved arms and extending to points adjacent to the rear wheels, the shafts mounted within the hollow shaft, having their outer ends provided with pinions and their inner ends connected by a gear mechanism with the horizontal con necting-shaft, the flanges secured to the-rear wheels, and gears secured to the flanges and adapted to mesh with the pinions, substantially as shown and described.

11. The combination, with the horizontal connecting-shaft,the transverse hollow shafts, and the central casing adapted to support the rear end of the connecting-shaft and having laterally-extendin g concaved arms adj ustably secured to the hollow shafts, oft-heshafts cxtending longitudinally through the hollow shaft and provided. at their outer ends with gears connected with gears attached to the rear wheels and having their inner ends pro vided with square-sided hollow portions, and shafts shaped to tit thehollow portions of the pinion-shafts and having their'inner ends projecting through the casing and geared to the horizontal connectin -shaft, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a vehicle-propellingmechanism, the combination, with the flanges having means for attachment. to the rear wheelsand having indentations therein, of the gears secured to the flanges and provided with cutaway portions to fit the indentations, substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination, with the laterallyextending flanges having means for attachment to the rear wheels, said flanges having on their inner sides an annular riband indentations, as described,of the gears adapted to abut with the flanged ribs and having cutaway portions to fit the indentations of the flanges, substantially as shown and described.

ll. The combination, with the reach-rods, the forward axle, and the sproeketavheel mechanism for turning the axle, ofthe springpressed rods mounted in the reach-rods, and a strap-con nection between the spring-pressed rods and the sprocket-wheel shaft, substan' tially as shown and described.

15. The combination, with the reach-rods, the forward axle, and the s 'n'ocket-wheel mechanism for turning the axle, of the springpressed rods mounted in the forward ends of the reach-rods and connected by a cross'strip, a pulley mounted in front of the reach-rods, and straps connected with the cross-strip and extending over the pulley to connect with the sprocketavheel shaft, substantially as shown and described.

16. The combination, with the springpressed tension-strap, of the sprocket-wheel shaft having a vertical slot to receive the strap, a pin in its rear portion to which. the strap isattached, and having the front sides of the slot rounded outwardly, substantially as shown and described.

17. The combination, with the vertical sprocket-wheel shaft connected with the forward axle, as shown, of the horizontal shaft geared to the vertical shaft and having means for longitudinal adjustment, and gear mechanism for turning the horizontal shaft from the vehicle-body, substantially as shown and described.

18. The combination, with the sprocketarr,

wheel shaftconnected with the forward axle, as described, of a horizontal shaft geared to the sprocket-wheel shaft, said horizontal shaft having means for longitudinal adjustment and having universal joints therein, and agear mechanism for turning the horizontal shaft from the vehicle-bod y, substantially as shown and described.

1.). The combination, with the vertical sprocket-wheel shaft and the horizontal shaft geared thereto and provided at its rear end with a gear-wheel, of a depending tube fixed t0 the wagon -body and terminating in a bracket, a hollow gear mounted in a bracket so as to mesh with the gear-wheel 011 the horizontal shaft, a sleeve keyed to the gear-wheel so as to slide through the same and provided with a series of diametrically-oppositeslots, a hollow shaft extending vertically through the sleeve and through the floor of the vehicle-body, said shaft having its upper end provided with a wheel, a pair of springs fixed in the lower portion of the hollow shaft and provided with oppositely-extending shoulders to project through slots in the shaft and into the slots in the sleeve, and a spring-pressed rod mounted in the shaft an d provided at its lower end with a slotted head to engage the shoulders of the springs, substantially as shown and described.

20. The combination, with the hollow gearwheel connecting by a suitable gear mechanism with the sprocket-shaft which turns the forward axle, of a sleeve keyed to the gearwheel so as to slide therein and provided with a series of opposite slots, a hollow shaft extending vertically through the sleeve and provided with slots adapted to align with the slots of the sleeve, springs fixed in the lower end of the hollow shaft and provided at their upper ends with shoulders having inclined upper surfaces, said shoulders being adapted to enter the slots of the shaft and sleeve, and a spring-pressed rod mounted in the hollow shaft above the springs, said rod having at its lower end a head with a slot therein to fit the inclined shoulders, substantially as shown and described.

21. The combination, with a hollow shaft and the springs mounted therein, of the plug adapted to enter the end of the shaft between the springs, and the thimble adapted to screw upon the shaft and hold the plug, substantially as shown and described.

MARK A. LIBBEY.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY Wnxraornt, (Inns. F. Wool).

ITO 

